Families demand answers from Matt Hancock over Covid care home deaths

Families in Greater Manchester whose loved ones died from coronavirus are demanding answers from Matt Hancock as he's quizzed by MPs.

Carl Nunnerley and his father, James, who passed away from Covid-19 in May 2020
Author: Tom DambachPublished 10th Jun 2021

Families in Greater Manchester whose loved ones died from coronavirus whilst in a care home are demanding answers from the Health Secretary as he's quizzed by MPs.

Matt Hancock will face questions about the decisions taken around the Spring 2020 and Autumn/ Winter 2020 lockdowns; UK preparedness for pandemics; and the impact of variant B.1.167.2 on the Government's lockdown-easing roadmap.

The joint inquiry considers the lessons that can be drawn from the Government’s handling of the pandemic that could be applied now and in the future.

It's expected MPs will also focus on decisions around care homes amid controversy patients were sent back to care homes from hospitals without being tested for Covid-19.

The Prime Minister's former chief aide, Dominic Cummings, told MPs last month that "tens of thousands of people died who didn't need to" and that Boris Johnson is "unfit for the job".

'The government failed to protect residents in care homes'

Carl Nunnerley from Manchester saw his dad die from coronavirus in May 2020 aged 88.

He was the third person in that care home to lose his life as the virus swept across the country.

Carl's described feeling saddened that more action wasn't taken to protect care homes in the early stages of the pandemic.

"In my dad's case, an ambulance came out on four different occasions within three days and he wasn't admitted to hospital because they didn't know what to do. The paramedics and hospitals were waiting for guidance on what to do with residents from care homes who had Covid."

Carl's dad James who had just settled into care home life and began "seeing a future for himself"

He goes on to describe the pain he feels, speaking emotionally about the missed opportunities that could have saved his dad's life.

"I never wanted my father to go into a care home - but I'm the only son and I have to work as well. That hurt my heart for him being in a care home.

"We worked so tirelessly to get him to some kind of life that was acceptable for him.

"He was able to speak, eat, drink, sing - all the things that he loved. Going out for our Chinese on a Tuesday with a couple of beers. He had years left in him because he started seeing a future for himself - not just in a care home."

Carl and his dad out for their Chinese on a Tuesday night with a couple of beers

As Matt Hancock gives evidence to MPs, Carl says he will be watching closely as he looks for answers that he and so many other families desperately hold out for.

"When he comes on and says 'I apologise' - he just needs to be honest and say look 'we got this wrong' - just be open with us all so that we can understand it.

"Government have just got to be truthful as I feel it will help so many people who have lost their loved ones through this awful time.

"If things went wrong, things went wrong. We can hold our hands up in life and say it went wrong. Lets hope for the future it doesn't happen ever again and that's what we've got to learn."